Naruto Primer Lost Chapter: Shino/Kurenai

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It's certainly been an interesting journey with this type of chapters. But frankly, we're glad they're over. They were VERY difficult to brainstorm for. Thanks to phantomgamer01 for helping us come up with the idea for this chapter!

Shino's always been in tune with his bug friends. That's why even when he's in the middle of something, he feels as though he came almost hear a faint cry for help.

"And Akamaru said that he could beat me up so I said—" Kiba began.

"Kiba." Said Shino. "Hold that thought. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Said Kiba with a shrug.

Shino wandered off to find the source of the unhappy contender. Then he saw it. Kurenai walking. But she wasn't walking ANYWHERE. She walked right on top of an ant hill and crushed it, not only destroying many homes but smooshing workers, infants and making it so the survivors had to repair the ant hill!!

Kurenai, on the other hand, didn't even notice. She was filing her nails on the way to meet up with her jounin friends for a Jounin and Chuunin and Teachers Party. She knew Shino was standing there so she looked up.

"Why hello, Shino!" said Kurenai. If Shino had been a happy person, Kurenai would have found it peculiar that he was staring at her stoically with a stone look on his face. But since he ALWAYS looked like that, she figured it was normal and just kept walking.

Shino didn't respond. He only WATCHED her.

Kurenai was entirely unsuspecting. She just continued to walk absentmindedly as if nothing had even happened. Though she did find it to be slightly strange that Shino was now following her around. She quickly glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Shino dart behind a tree. Finally, she turned around.

"Shino, why are you following me?" Kurenai asked.

Shino stepped out from behind the tree.

"Kurenai, I challenge you to a fight." Shino said.

"Me?" said Kurenai, checking behind her to make sure she was the only Kurenai who was being spoken to. "Why?"

Shino's eyes narrowed. "You know." He said darkly.

"No…no I don't." Kurenai said. "Would you care to explain?"

Shino couldn't believe that she was trying to play innocent. Everyone knew that people didn't like ants and made an effort to step on anthills. They figured that since ants terrorize THEIR homes, it would be all right to destroy ants' homes. Well you know? It's NOT all right.

Unfortunately for Shino, that was all inner monologue.

But I guess it was even MORE unfortunate for Kurenai because she still didn't know why Shino had randomly challenged her to a battle.

"Shino, I'm kind of busy right now." Said Kurenai. "I'll train you later."

"This isn't training." Shino said. "It's real."

"Why?" said Kurenai. "Tell me, what brought this on?"

Shino looked back at the anthill. He knew the workers were trying as hard as they could to get the opening accessible again. Even if the entrance was cut off for just moments that was still damaging the queen's egg production and the care the workers gave to the larva.

Kurenai leaned over slightly, trying to see what Shino was looking at. She honestly had no idea what Shino was reacting like this about. Shino had done a lot of weird things in her time of being his teacher, but this had to be among the weirdest. Normally, she could just dismiss his odd behavior as something to do with bugs and go about her life.

Say…

"Shino, does this have anything to do with some bugs?" Kurenai asked.

"'Some bugs'?" Shino repeated, sounding slightly disgusted.

Kurenai gave a heavy sigh. "All right, whatever I did, I'm sorry." She said. She wasn't really afraid of losing to Shino in a fight, she just didn't want their relationship as student and teacher to be shattered for a reason she didn't even know.

"So it is, then." Kurenai said.

"Of course it is." Shino said.

"Well, at least I'm getting SOME response." Kurenai said, putting her hands on her hips. "I think a more constructive thing for us to do would be to talk instead of resort to violence. Don't you agree, Shino?"

Shino didn't answer.

"Shino, if you don't answer me then I'm just going to leave." Kurenai threatened.

"You're right." Shino said. "I can't expect you to remember EVERY clan you massacre."

"What?" Kurenai said, completely surprised. The first thing that came to mind was the famous Uchiha Clan Massacre and she most certainly didn't do THAT!

He pointed back a little bit towards the anthill. "Did you plan on just walking away?" he said.

Kurenai, once again, looked at where Shino was pointing. Even if she had been THINKING to look for an anthill, how could he have expected her to look for a small mound of smooshed sand?

"Shino…nobody's there." Kurenai said, thinking he was referring to a body of some sort.

Shino slowly lowered his hand. "Nobody is there?" he repeated, sounding as baffled as a member of his family could possibly sound. Which was, I can tell you this much, not all that baffled.

Kurenai gave an exasperated sigh and walked over to Shino.

"Since you won't TELL me, show me exactly what you're talking about." She instructed.

Still feeling a little put off, Shino took Kurenai back over to the anthill where little worker ants slowly tunneled through the sand.

"THAT is what all this has been about?" Kurenai said, though she realized she probably shouldn't have said that.

Shino looked at her crossly.

"Okay, okay." Kurenai said, suggesting that she was taking what she had just said back. "Shino. I didn't mean to step on the anthill. I honestly didn't even notice that I did. Trust me, if I had known the anthill was there, I would have stepped around it."

Shino still didn't look very pleased as he lightly moved some sand to the side with the tip of his finger in attempt to help the ants.

"Um…so are we all good?" Kurenai asked, punching his shoulder lightly.

Shino didn't look up.

"…Shino?" Kurenai said.

"You may go now." Shino said, not taking any attention away from his precious bugs.

"…Er…okay…" Kurenai said. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have tolerated a student speaking to her in such a manner. However, what was she going to do about SHINO?

So, without another word, she got up and quickly went of to her party, making sure not to step on any more anthills on her way.